


Appreciate the Sound

by moomer



Series: Band AU 'Verse [1]
Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Chris plays bass, Dan knows sign language, M/M, Mute Dan, My First Fanfic, Phil sings and plays guitar, Pj plays drums, So idk what im doing, band au, pastel!dan, punk!phil
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-12
Updated: 2015-08-13
Packaged: 2018-04-14 08:02:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4556955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moomer/pseuds/moomer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My first ever fic, so be gentle..</p><p>Basically, Dan is mute and Phil is in a punk band. Dan is a huge fan, mainly cause he's in love with Phil, but also cause he likes music as a form of communication. Dan goes to a concert and is forced (but not really) by Phil to come sing with him on stage but Dan doesn't realize what he's supposed to do  until he's already up there and phil doesn't know dan can't speak.</p><p>Based on a Tumblr post I saw with a bunch of au ideas and this one was basically, "you're in a band and you pulled me on stage to sing with you but I'm mute"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

     Dan was probably more excited in this moment as he had ever been in his entire life. Not only was there going to be an outdoor music festival in his town, the headlining act was none other than Blitz Striker. Yes, the very same group Dan had devoted so much of his time and money to was going to be within walking distance from Dan's apartment. Dan had no doubt in his mind that it would be worth it as he bought his ticket, although maybe it was a bit hard to see his bank account shrink so much with one purchase. The only problem Dan had now was with himself. He knew he had a lot in store for him if he thought he could go to a concert and never say a word.

***

     Dan never had any trouble with the fact that he was mute. He didn't know what it was like to talk, but that didn't mean he couldn't communicate. When his parents realized he wouldn't be able to use words to speak they taught him to sign, and as he grew older he learned that words weren't the only way to show how you feel. He discovered music, and with it discovered the raw emotion that it could carry. He taught himself piano, but knew that while instruments were beautiful in their own right, nothing could beat the power of lyrics.

     Dan began an obsession with music of all genres, but he became particularly enamored by the punk rock scene. Maybe it was because he liked their attitude toward authority and justice. Maybe it was because of the contrast between his own pastel wardobe and that of those who fully encompassed the punk look. Most likely, though, it was because of a certain young man, Phil Lester. There was a reason Blitz Striker was Dan's favourite band, and that reason was a 6 foot 2 inch tall singer with tattoos, blue eyes, and hair to match.

***

     The venue wasn't too packed, though that could have been because Dan came two hours early. If Dan was anything, it was prepared for concerts. He settled nicely into a spot right in front of the stage, where he sat on the freshly mowed grass. If more people started to show up, Dan was prepared to defend his spot, but in that moment he just needed to relax.

     It was a little past dusk, the sun just barely setting, leaving the sky a mixture of blues, pinks, and purples. The air had a slight chill to it, but luckily Dan brought a sweater, although his typically pastel aesthetic may not have been the most appropriate thing to wear to what most likely would become a mosh pit. At least he didn't have a flower crown on. As more people came to the show, there was a bigger struggle to keep the spot he had claimed, but Dan stood his ground. The pushing stopped when the concert began, as people would rather watch the performance than be shoved to the ground. By the time everyone settled, Dan was so close to the stage he could reach it with his fingertips. He could tell right then it would be a great night.

***

     The opening act went by remarkably fast, setting the atmosphere for the rest of the night. Dan actually found them surprisingly good, and made a mental note to check them out online later. The crowd hushed as they left the stage, the lights dimming to near pitch darkness. Dan's heart began to race, his fingers fumbling in the way they always did when he became anxious. The lights flashed back up again on the stage, revealing the three smiling faces of Blitz Striker. PJ Liguori was sat on his drum set, hands poised above his head with his sticks at the ready. Next to him was Chris Kendall, with his bass hanging around his neck and a mischievous look in his eyes. Finally, at the front of the stage, leaning on the mic stand was Phil Lester. He was beautiful, his guitar in hand and his tongue poking out behind his toothy smile. Phil scanned the massive crowd in front of him, catching sight of Dan's dark brown eyes before he began to sing.

***

     Dan couldn't help but sign along to the lyrics of all his favourite songs as they were sung live in front of him. His fingers danced at his sides as he jumped in time to the music. The next song began, and Dan knew exactly which one it was by the opening guitar riff. He closed his eyes as his favourite song started, immersing himself in the moment before a voice broke his reverie.

     "I'm gonna need some help on this next one."

     Dan looked up and into the face of Phil Lester, his hand outstretched toward Dan. Before he could think, Dan was being pulled up onto the stage by the man he was helplessly in love with.

     Phil turned to face him as he began to sing softly, as if he was expecting to share the sound with someone else. Dan froze. That was exactly what he was doing. He brought Dan up to sing with him. Phil looked at Dan with concern, but Dan wasn't thinking straight. He had two options, one was to jump off the stage and go straight home, or two, he could somehow manage to tell Phil he was mute and die onstage of embarrassment. Before he knew it, Dan had started moving, but he wasn't getting down. He closed his eyes and began to sign the lyrics.

***

     Dan had never signed with as much emotion as he had on the stage. With Phil's voice accompanying him, he felt invincible. His whole body moved as he signed through the song, almost as if he were truly singing with the band. His eyes remained closed for most of the song, but when he did open them it was surreal to see that many people watching him. He could see the cellphones being held over heads, and chuckled a bit to himself. He'd have to check YouTube tomorrow. The song ended, and Dan signed the last word with a flourish. His cheeks were warm from the lights and he was sweating slightly, but he didn't mind. That moment would probably be the greatest in Dan's life. He took a deep breath before turning to gauge Phil's reaction, his heart racing at the thought that Phil might be upset at him.

     "That was incredible! What's your name?"

     Phil Lester was actually speaking to Dan, and not only that, he was impressed by him. Dan reached into his pocket where he kept some scrap paper and a pen, scribbling down his name before handing the slip to Phil. "Dan, huh? I like it. Give it up for Dan, everybody!" Phil smiled at Dan, revealing a dimple in his cheek that made Dan's stomach flutter. Dan felt like he would explode from the amount of giddiness he was feeling. Phil said he liked Dan's name. Nothing would ever beat that sentence, Dan was sure.

     See, he knew it would be a great night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back stage after the concert, or rather in the Blitz Striker tour bus.

   Phil had invited Dan backstage after the concert. Dan was more than a little nervous at the thought of being so close to his favourite band, but it was a good type of nervousness. The rest of the concert flew by after Dan hopped off the stage and joined the crowd again, except this time there were more people staring at him than the actual band they paid to see. Dan felt a bit overwhelmed, but the adrenaline from being up there with Phil had yet to wear off. The final song of their set was probably their most popular, because Dan could barely hear Phil over the sound of his fans singing along. By the end of the show Dan's face was stinging from how long he had been smiling.

***

   Dan met with the bouncer that stood next to the band's tour bus. Technically there was no back stage, as the concert was held outdoors, so Phil had told him to join him there. The bouncer, Martyn, didn't seem too threatening, in fact he reminded Dan a bit of Phil. The crew was still getting everything off the stage, and Dan was told that the band members liked to help clean up too. Dan waited outside with Martyn, it getting a bit awkward as Dan couldn't speak and Martyn was on duty.

   Chris reached the bus first, probably running there as he seemed full of boundless energy. Dan was a little worried that it would be weird, with Chris being known for his habit of keeping a constant commentary on everything that happened to him. Dan was quick to introduce himself, properly now that he wasn't on stage in front of hundreds of people. Dan hadn't even needed to worry about Chris, his motor mouth was enough to carry it's own conversation. He was quick to pick up Dan's social cues, and had no trouble understanding exactly what Dan was thinking. 

   Phil and PJ entered the bus shortly after Chris had finished telling Dan about their first tour, and how Phil had taken to hiding snacks all around the small van they had occupied. Chris was an excellent storyteller, and although Dan couldn't make a sound, he still had trouble catching his breath when he was done. Chris kept Dan laughing, or rather exhaling loudly, while the other two went about putting away the few things that belonged with them on the bus. Dan was wiping away tears by the time Phil and PJ joined himself and Chris in the small lounge area.

***

   Dan watched the boys across from him as they settled into what was obviously their natural post-show ritual. He was absolutely amazed by the fact that not only was he in Blitz Striker's tour bus, he was listening to them argue over the sound quality of the show he had just watched. Dan was so lost in the moment that he nearly missed when someone said his name.

"Dan?" 

   It was Phil who was calling out to him. Dan would never tire of hearing Phil say his name.  
"Would you mind exchanging phone numbers? I just think it would make more sense to text rather than use all the paper I saw in your pockets earlier. And I'm not too great at understanding sign language.." Phil trailed off a bit at the end of his sentence, a slight blush tinting his cheeks pink. Dan didn't know why on earth Phil would blush at Dan, but he didn't stall too much on that thought. He handed Phil his phone with perhaps a bit too much enthusiasm, but he couldn't have cared less how desperate he must have looked. Phil was actually trying to talk with Dan, something no one had ever done for him before.

   Dan looked down at the new contact in his phone. Phil had saved his name as 'Philip L.' followed by at least five little squid emojis. Dan didn't even know how to get emojis on his phone, but he paid it no mind. What Dan cared more about was the selfie Phil had took to save as his contact photo. Phil looked like an angel. Dan almost couldn't look away.  
"Umm, Dan? Can you send me a text so I can set a contact for my phone as well?"  
Dan felt his cheeks heat up as he nodded, shooting Phil a quick hello message.

***

   The night passed faster than Dan anticipated, and before long, both Chris and PJ had gone to bed, leaving behind only Phil.

To: Philip L.  
From: Dan Howell  
How has the tour been so far? I know it must be hard being on the road all the time.  
Sent at 2:34 AM.

   "It's not too bad, though I do miss my apartment sometimes. It can get pretty cramped in the bus, but it's worth it to be able to perform the shows we do. I wouldn't have met you if it weren't for this tour, so it can't be too bad, right?"  
Phil's smile was contagious. 

To: Philip L.  
From: Dan Howell  
You do make a compelling argument. I'm glad you're on tour, too. If there wasn't a stage for you to pull me onto, I wouldn't have gotten to hang out with you right now.  
Sent at 2:39 AM

   Phil was visibly exhausted, and it showed as he lifted himself up and stretched, his shirt riding up to reveal a small expanse of skin. Dan definitely hadn't looked.

   "I'm kind of tempted to bring you along with me while we tour. The way you looked as you signed my lyrics, it took everything I could to not just stop singing and watch you." 

   Dan couldn't believe what he was hearing.

   "Listen, I could probably sit here with you for hours, but it's getting late and the band's scheduled for a radio appearance tomorrow." Phil obviously didn't want to leave Dan just as much as Dan didn't want to leave Phil.

To: Philip L.  
From: Dan Howell  
I can delete your number if it makes you uncomfortable for me to have it. I know it's your personal number, so I'd understand if you didn't want to risk some stranger having it. I had a great time talking with you tonight.  
Sent at 2:47 AM

   Phil looked from his phone to Dan like the other man had grown a second head.  
"Dan, I have no problem with you having my number. How can we keep talking if you delete me?" Dan perked up at that, he was sure Phil would agree with deleting the number.

To: Philip L.  
From: Dan Howell  
I'm okay with keeping the conversation going as long as it's okay with you. You're probably the first person who's actually made an effort to get to know me. I'd be stupid to give that up willingly.  
Sent at 2:53 AM

   Phil smiled at Dan, both of them standing up, Phil to join his band mates and Dan to go home. Before Dan knew it, Phil had him wrapped up in a tight hug, one that had Dan melting into the embrace.  
"I'd be stupid to give it up, too. I'm not done getting to know you." Dan looked Phil in the eye once more before he left, trying his best to convey his gratitude to the singer, though Dan couldn't help but feel the affection Phil's words had brought to him showing through instead. 

   Phil winked in response.

***

Dan woke up the next afternoon, his head aching a bit from lack of proper sleep. He was a bit sad to leave behind the wonderful dream he had been having, but real life beckoned to him. Dan snorted a bit at the thought that he of all people would not only have Phil Lester's number, but also have been flirted with by the singer. Dan's dream self was wildly ambitious if he thought that could ever truly happen. Dan changed out of the pastel sweater he had worn the day before and subsequently fell asleep in, turning on the shower before checking his phone's notifications.

To: Dan Howell  
From: Philip L.  
Good morning, Dan. I can't wait for us to meet again.  
Sent at 9:08 AM.


End file.
